1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to construction toys, specifically to interconnecting different types of construction toys.
2. Description of Prior Art
Construction toys of many different configurations are very well-known, pervasive, and popular. Construction toys generally fall into one of two categories: building block toys or hub and spoke toys. Building block construction toys take many different forms, and some of these are extremely well-known in association with their respective trademarks, for example LEGO(trademark) and DUPLO(trademark), manufactured by Lego Systems, Inc. Hub and spoke construction toys are also well known in association with their respective trademarks, for example Tinkertoy(trademark), manufactured by Playskool Inc., a division of Hasbro, Inc., and K""NEX(trademark), manufactured by K""NEX Industries, Inc. These toys employ various connection means that permit blocks to connect to other blocks or hubs to connect to spokes to build composite structures.
The numerous prior art building toys have many obvious attractions. However, the design of these toys does not allow interconnection with other types of toys. There are many reasons for this. One reason is that the block""s or hub""s design is optimal to permit them to connect with other components from the same toy. (Note: DUPLOs and LEGOs interconnect, however these are both block type construction toys and built using the same basic spacings.)
Each of the two types of construction toys has two types of structures: a round interconnecting post (32) or spoke, and a rectilinear receptacle, such as a block or hub. (While hubs are generally round, their sides or bases are usually flat. See FIG. 13.) In both cases xe2x80x9cfemalexe2x80x9d receptacles connect with xe2x80x9cmalexe2x80x9d extensions. In the building block case the receptacle side (female) of a building block interlocks with the post side (male) of another block. In hub and spoke toys a hub (female) interlocks with (male) spokes or struts. Prior art interconnectors connected in the same way. This meant blocks could only connect at a fixed angle and position to struts or spokes of the hub and spoke toys. This posed several problems.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,061,219 and 5,238,438 to Joel I. Glickman, Oct. 29, 1991 and Aug. 24, 1993 respectively describe one example of an interconnector. The interconnector 50 in Glickman""s patents (FIG. 10) is a block type toy with one receptacle 54 (female) for the male end of a spoke described in his patent. Spokes can only interconnect with these blocks at a perpendicular angle. The diameter of the spoke is larger than the diameter of the block""s post (and the spacing between posts). This interconnector block can only connect with spokes, and not other blocks on side 52. This is because receptacle 54 is too large and there is no room left for block posts to fit on this side. The side with posts 56 connects only with blocks and not with spokes or hubs.
Construction toys have a basic spacing unit associated with them. In the case of block toys, the basic spacing is the distance between the posts"" centers (the distance between the male connectors). Blocks are then multiples of this unit. Another term for this spacing unit is xe2x80x9cpitchxe2x80x9d. The basic unit, or pitch, of hub and spoke toys is the distance between the centers of two hubs connected by the smallest spoke. The sizes of the larger spokes make the distance between hub centers either a multiple of this basic unit or a multiple of the square root of two times this basic unit.
One could envision a hub and spoke toy designed with its pitch a multiple of a block toy""s pitch. However, this is not the case for the well-known toys mentioned in Glickman""s patent. Their basic spacing units are not compatible. His interconnector does not address this issue.
Paul T. Maddock""s U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,201, Jun. 18, 1996, (FIG. 11) describes another type of block interconnector 60. One block type described includes a connection of the LEGO type, thus describing an interconnector between two toy types. These blocks have one or more faces with apertures (female) defined to receive an elongated framing piece (male), such as a craft stick or a xe2x80x9ctongue depressorxe2x80x9d. This block""s aperture also only accepts a strut, and only a thin strut, not connectors or hubs from other toys. The aperture 62 does not provide for more than one direction or type of interconnection at each face. The aperture does not address the spacing differences between the two blocks. The framing piece that fits in this aperture is part of this toy set. The LEGO style interconnector block does not use this aperture and there is no adjustment for the differences in the block sizes of this toy and the LEGO block.
Both Glickman""s and Maddock""s interconnectors merely provide a connection to another type of toy. This is not enough. To build complex composite structures one needs a better interconnector. A better interconnector compensates for the differences in the toys; these patents"" interconnectors do not. A better interconnector truly integrates the different toys; these patents"" interconnectors do not.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are:
(a) to provide a method for interconnecting construction toys of different types, for example building block toys with hub and spoke toys;
(b) to provide a method for interconnecting construction toys which maintains substantially all the possible ways to connect each different toy type to its own parts;
(c) to provide an interconnection at many different angles;
(d) to provide an interconnection which is variable and accommodates the different spacing units and sizes of each toy;
(e) to provide a strong interconnection that permits variable placement.
One object and advantage of this invention is that struts can connect with blocks at many different angles. Another object and advantage is that this interconnector accommodates the different pitches and sizes of the two toys. A further object and advantage of this invention is that it maintains substantially all the possible connections of each toy after interconnection.
Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.